Towards the Horizon

We didn’t want to worry anybody while we were in the middle of it, but the last week wasn’t funny at all. Christian and I both got 40C fever on Tuesday, together with thundering headaches, backache and pain behind the eyes all seemed to point to Dengue. I searched the internet for emergency numbers (only took me 1/2 an hour to find out that SAMU… Continue reading »

Yesterday we sailed out to an anchorage on the western barrier reef of Tahaa, where we wiggled Pitufa in between coral heads to a shallow sandbank where we anchored with less than 2 m under the keel. At a first glance the place was just perfect: a turquoise swimming pool with Pitufa swaying gently on a short chain that we had buoyed with two fenders… Continue reading »

So far we’ve had good experiences having parcels shipped from Germany to Tahiti with ‘DHL Paket’ (that’s probably just the regular mail parcel). Important is not to use ‘DHL express’ though, because if you do that the shipment is not only almost 10 times more expensive, but the parcel is also handled by an ‘agent’ who charges 120 euros for this service (customs paperwork or… Continue reading »

The last three months were quite tough. Remember? In April we caught a line in the prop in the Gambier, the shaft was pulled out several centimetres by the force and the thrust bearing was damaged (cracked housing) so that we could no longer use the engine. We had to sail straight to Tahiti to haul out there and spent two weeks repairing and waiting… Continue reading »

…are really positive. The high islands, motus and the fringing reef reminds us of the Isle Gambier and the slow, relaxed pace here is exactly what we like. Yesterday we moved into the deeply indented Haamene bay, where the water’s a bit murky, but the view of the lush green hills and the calm anchorage makes up for that. After dark the sound of drumming… Continue reading »

On Sunday morning we set out towards Raiatea in order to make sure we’d reach the island during daylight after a nightsail (120 nm). During the first hour we were in the lee of Tahiti, with no wind, but confused cross seas as usual in the channel between Tahiti and Moorea. After an hour a strong wind set in and we had a quick but… Continue reading »

Last year we visited the 2 week long culture and dance festival in the Gambier where only two dance groups competed, but there was something going on every day and the whole village came to the foodstands and activities. Everything was for free, but on a rather small scale – no wonder with only 1000 people living there and hardly any tourists. This year we… Continue reading »

… seems impossible at times and is immensely frustrating. Everybody knows that they have a monopoly on whatever trade they’re in and we spend most days running after people trying to persuade them to take our money. The last boatyard we were in was extremely unfriendly and dirty (Technimarine in Papeete) and as we have to haul out another time we tried to get hold… Continue reading »